Florida State gives Jon Kreft a shot at redemption

Drug arrest in 2006 delayed his Seminoles debut by four years

Jon Kreft, 7-foot junior from Douglas, finally made it to FSU after drug… (Mike Ewen/AP )

January 27, 2011|Mike Berardino, Sun Sentinel Columnist

CORAL GABLES — This is a story about loyalty.

This is a story about redemption.

This is Jon Kreft's story, and for many people that's their cue to turn the page in disgust.

Their loss.

These days, Kreft is 11 games into a Florida State basketball career he should have begun four years ago. The 7-foot junior from Parkland's Douglas High School is a valued contributor off the Seminoles' bench — grabbing rebounds, disrupting shots, providing energy.

At 24, he also brings a maturity and a fearlessness that he gained the hard way: by nearly throwing away his talent, his future, his life.

On May 18, 2006, Kreft was weeks from high school graduation when he and a friend were pulled over by police in Coral Springs. A search of the vehicle found 15 grams of marijuana and a digital scale in the car.

Kreft also admitted to hiding 1.7 grams of cocaine between his buttocks.

He served a one-year sentence, splitting it between the Broward County Jail and a boot camp.

The Seminoles pulled their scholarship offer but not their support after what assistant coach Stan Jones calls "that terrible situation."

Leonard Hamilton had known the Krefts since the early '90s when he recruited Dan Kreft, Jon's older brother, for the University of Miami. Hamilton made a few calls and helped him get a scholarship to Northwestern.

"Coach has always had a soft spot for that family," says Jones, Hamilton's longtime right-hand man.

During Kreft's incarceration, he received numerous motivational letters from Hamilton. Hamilton also checked in from time to time with Paula Kreft, Jon's mother, to provide a sounding board.

When Jon found religion, changed his attitude and showed interest in resuming his basketball career, Hamilton picked up the phone and helped place him at Chipola Junior College.

"Coach Hamilton never gave up on him," Jones says. "He said, 'Let's see if he can change his life and live the right way.' Coach is a second-chance guy. He likes to see people he believes have a good heart correct their mistakes and move on and really make a great story of their lives."

Two seasons at Chipola helped Kreft rebuild his game if not his reputation. When it came time to transfer to a four-year school, he wasn't exactly overwhelmed with recruiting interest.

Really, how many programs out there are looking for a gawky scarecrow with a drug conviction on his resume?

For Hamilton, though, there was never any question Jon Kreft would play for him.

Kreft enrolled at Florida State last January. It took him through the fall semester to get his academics in order, and a hand injury set him back as well, but Kreft finally made his Seminoles debut on Dec. 15 against Stetson.

A month later, he was playing 11 minutes in a nationally-televised upset of top-ranked Duke. A week after that, he made his return to South Florida, grabbing five rebounds in nine solid minutes in a tight win over Miami.

Two rows behind the visitors' bench, Bruce and Paula Kreft watched this story of loyalty and redemption take its next tentative step. It was the first time they'd seen their son play for FSU.

Understandably wary of the media, the couple politely waved off questions.

"It's been a long road," Bruce said through watery eyes.

Jon Kreft was off limits to the media after that game, as he likely will remain for the rest of this season. The official version is that he's "not ready" to tell his story, a spokesman said.

That's fine. His coaches are more than willing to fill in the blanks.

Especially a certain mentor who never turned his back on a kid who tried awfully hard to wreck his life.

"I have a very, very close relationship with Jon's family," Hamilton says. "I think they're great people, and Jon has responded very well and I'm extremely proud of him."